The Nigerian Conservation Foundation’s 20th Walk for Nature brought together environmental advocates, students, government representatives and conservation stakeholders in Lagos for a renewed call to protect nature, tackle plastic pollution and strengthen climate resilience.
The message was clear at the 20th edition of the Annual Walk for Nature: awareness must lead to action. Held on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at Makanjuola Hall, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, the milestone edition of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation’s (NCF) flagship environmental advocacy initiative brought together participants in a shared commitment to a cleaner, greener and more climate-resilient Lagos.
With the theme “Inspired for Climate Action,” the event marked two decades of sustained advocacy for nature conservation, environmental awareness and responsible environmental stewardship. Attendance met expectations, with participants demonstrating enthusiasm, joy and excitement throughout the gathering.
Beyond the walk itself, the event provided an opportunity to renew public sensitisation, strengthen environmental advocacy and remind individuals, institutions and government of their shared responsibility to protect the ecosystems that sustain Lagos.
Twenty Years of Walking for Nature, One Continuing Call to Action
Over the past two decades, Walk for Nature has provided a platform for bringing people together around environmental challenges and practical solutions. Its focus has evolved over the years, addressing issues ranging from wildlife and biodiversity conservation to plastic pollution, land restoration, desertification, drought resilience and climate change. The 20th edition carried this legacy forward by placing climate action at the centre of the conversation.
For Lagos, a rapidly growing coastal megacity, the implications are particularly significant. Flooding, rising temperatures, coastal erosion and the degradation of natural habitats place pressure on communities, livelihoods and infrastructure. Yet, some of the most effective defences against these threats already exist in nature.
Wetlands, mangroves, forests, waterways and urban green spaces help regulate water, store carbon, support biodiversity and provide natural protection against environmental pressures. When these ecosystems are degraded or lost, communities become more exposed to climate risks. The event reinforced an essential principle: protecting nature is also an investment in public safety, economic wellbeing and the long-term resilience of Lagos.
“Lagos Must Listen”: A Call to Protect Nature and Build Climate Resilience
In her address, the Chair of NCF’s National Executive Council, Hon. Justice (Mrs.) R.I.B. Adebiyi, described the 20 editions of Walk for Nature as a testament to two decades of advocacy, public engagement and collective environmental action.
She stressed that climate change is already affecting agriculture, livelihoods, public health and economic development. For communities, the consequences are tangible: homes threatened by flooding, crops lost to extreme weather and education disrupted by environmental emergencies. Her message challenged participants to move beyond awareness and embrace meaningful action.
Adebiyi urged citizens to reduce waste, stop dumping refuse in drains and waterways, nurture trees and protect natural spaces. She also called on government to strengthen the implementation of climate policies, protect wetlands, enforce environmental impact assessment requirements and invest in green infrastructure, public transport and renewable energy.
The private sector, she noted, must move beyond environmental pledges to measurable action by investing in ecosystem restoration, reducing emissions and supporting circular economy practices. For students and young people, she emphasised that climate action is relevant across disciplines. Engineering, agriculture, business, law, medicine and communications all have roles to play in developing solutions, influencing behaviour and holding institutions accountable.
Lagos State Highlights Environmental Interventions
In his address, delivered on his behalf by Mr. Tajudeen Omobolaji Gaji, Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, highlighted the environmental pressures confronting the state and the importance of public participation in addressing them.
The address noted that Lagos generates approximately 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, with plastics accounting for roughly 15 per cent. When plastic waste enters drains, canals and waterways, it contributes to drainage blockages and compounds flooding challenges.
The Governor outlined state interventions across three key areas: reducing plastic pollution, protecting wetlands and strengthening drainage and green infrastructure.
These include enforcement of the ban on Styrofoam and other specified single-use plastics, effective from 1 July 2025; the suspension announced in September 2025 of wetland, floodplain and lagoon-front reclamation without the required environmental impact assessment approvals and drainage clearances; and investments in drainage infrastructure, mangrove restoration, tree planting and parks.
He also urged residents to take responsibility for their surroundings by keeping waste out of drains, rejecting single-use plastics where possible and avoiding encroachment on wetlands and drainage channels. The Governor delivered a pointed message on the significance of the event and the work ahead: “Twenty years of walking has built awareness. The next twenty must deliver results.”
The statement captured the challenge before environmental advocates and public institutions: translating years of awareness into lasting changes in behaviour, policy implementation and environmental outcomes.
Protecting Wetlands Is Protecting Lagos
Welcoming participants, Mr. Gaji, Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, highlighted the importance of protecting and restoring natural ecosystems as part of Lagos State’s climate resilience efforts.
He explained that wetlands act as natural buffers during heavy rainfall, help regulate water, store carbon, support biodiversity and sustain community livelihoods. Mangrove ecosystems also provide breeding and nursery grounds for aquatic species and help protect vulnerable coastal areas.
Their degradation through indiscriminate waste disposal, encroachment, uncontrolled mangrove cutting and other unsustainable activities weakens these essential functions.
“Protecting wetlands is therefore not simply a conservation issue,” the address emphasised in substance. It is also connected to climate resilience, public health, livelihoods and sustainable development.
The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the state’s 2026 tree-planting campaign, which had a target of 20,000 trees, alongside urban greening, waste management reforms and efforts to promote circular economy practices.
He called for greater participation from communities, institutions, businesses and individuals, stressing that climate resilience cannot be achieved by government alone.
Placards Turned Environmental Messages into Public Advocacy
Throughout the event, participants carried messages that brought the day’s central concerns into sharp focus. The placards highlighted the need to protect wetlands, challenge superficial environmental commitments, reduce pollution and ensure that development does not come at the expense of nature.
Among the messages displayed were:
- “WETLANDS ARE NOT WASTELANDS.”
- “LESS GREENWASHING. MORE GREEN ACTION.”
- “DON’T JUST WALK. TAKE ACTION.”
- “DEVELOP LAGOS. DON’T DESTROY ITS NATURE.”
- “THE WALK ENDS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY DOESN’T.”
The messages reflected the different dimensions of climate action, from ecosystem protection and responsible urban development to corporate accountability and individual behaviour.
Participants brought enthusiasm and energy to the gathering, making the walk an opportunity not only to demonstrate support for environmental protection but also to renew conversations about the choices required to build a sustainable city.
The placards also reinforced a crucial distinction: development and environmental protection should not be treated as opposing goals. A resilient Lagos must pursue growth while safeguarding the wetlands, waterways, green spaces and biodiversity on which its people depend.
NCF Donates Giant Recycling Bin to LASU to Support Plastic Pollution Reduction
A key moment at the 20th Walk for Nature was the donation of a giant recycling bin by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation to Lagos State University’s Ojo campus.
The bin was received on behalf of the university by the Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development (CESSED). The donation is intended to support the university’s efforts to reduce plastic pollution within its environs and forms part of a wider commitment to improved waste management.
The initiative gave practical expression to the day’s advocacy by connecting environmental awareness with an intervention that can support responsible waste handling and recycling. Plastic pollution remains a significant challenge for urban environments. When improperly disposed of, plastic waste can enter drainage channels and waterways, harm wildlife, degrade ecosystems and contribute to flooding.
Providing opportunities for better waste management is therefore an important part of encouraging behavioural change. However, infrastructure must be supported by consistent use, public education, responsible disposal and effective waste collection and recovery systems.
By making the donation to LASU, NCF reaffirmed the importance of engaging educational institutions in environmental action. Universities can serve as models for sustainable practices, while students and staff can influence environmental behaviour within campuses and surrounding communities.
The Walk Ends. Our Responsibility Doesn’t.
The 20th Walk for Nature concluded with a renewed call for participants to carry its message into their homes, schools, workplaces and communities.
The speeches delivered at the event converged on one essential point: government policies and infrastructure investments are important, but their impact depends partly on public participation, institutional accountability and responsible everyday choices.
Keeping waste out of drains, reducing plastic use, protecting wetlands, planting and nurturing trees, supporting recycling and speaking up for responsible development are practical ways to contribute to a more resilient Lagos.
For businesses, the challenge is to turn environmental commitments into measurable outcomes. For educational institutions, it is to make sustainability part of campus life and learning. For government, it is to strengthen implementation, safeguard natural ecosystems and ensure that development decisions account for environmental risks. For citizens, it is to recognise that the health of the environment is inseparable from the wellbeing of the people who depend on it.
Twenty editions of Walk for Nature represent an important legacy of environmental advocacy. The next chapter must build on that foundation by deepening public participation and translating awareness into sustained action.
